This Mid-Century Strategy is a sectoral nationwide document aiming at examining for Canada the possibility and the way to adopting a cleaner, more innovative economy that reduces emissions and protects the environment, while creating well-paying jobs and promoting robust economic growth. In other words, it seeks for meeting climate-change objectives while enabling growth and describes various pathways for innovative and creative solutions consistent with our international goal of holding the global average temperature rise to well below 2°C, while pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C, as called for in the Paris Agreement. Therefore, it requires significant long-term investments in infrastructure to support transformation to a low-carbon economy. The Strategy identifies key objectives that could underlie the transition to a low GHG economy. These objectives are (i) electrification, leading to end use applications that are currently using fossil fuels; (ii) decarbonization of the electricity generating sector; (iii) development of low-carbon sources to satisfy increase in electricity demand resulting from electrification policies; (iv) enhanced inter-jurisdictional electricity transmission; (v) use of lower or low-carbon fuels such as second generation bio-fuels or hydrogen in sectors as heavy industries, marine transportation, and aviation; (vi) abatement of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases, such as methane and hydro-fluorocarbons; (vii) adopting behavioral changes, i.e. in waste prevention and diversion; (viii) reduction of urbanization; (ix) better forest management; (x) development of more innovative and clean technologies; and (xi) collaboration with provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, municipalities, business and other stakeholders to enable, in the long-term, clean growth. To make forestry more productive and sustainable, the Mid-Century Strategy proposes (i) changes in forest management practices, such as higher utilization of residual and harvested wood, reduced burning of harvest residues in the forests, increased planting to rehabilitate forests after natural disturbances, and increased planting intensity to improve forest growth after harvest; (ii) greater domestic use of long-lived wood products to substitute more emissions-intensive materials, such as concrete and steel, for construction - tall and mid-rise residential buildings, commercial and industrial buildings, and bridges - and for fossil fuel in heating and energy applications; (iii) greater use of bio-energy from waste wood; (iv) afforestation, using mixes of fast-growing species and slower-growing species, together with development of urban forests; (v) use of forest-based cellulose material to replace materials and chemicals used in the manufacturing sector; and (vi) reducing deforestation and its associated emissions, especially considering the role Canada plays in supporting reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. While agricultural sector can contribute to greenhouse gas mitigation through (i) the adoption of existing and emerging technologies and sustainable land management practices; (ii) providing renewable energy solutions and bio-products; (iii) reducing methane emissions from enteric digestion by using high quality feed; (iv) enhancing fertilizer use efficiency. AS for agriculture, the document proposes sustainable practices such as increased use of legumes as a nitrogen source, use of cover crops to remove excess available nitrogen, less use of summer fallow, and adjusting tillage intensity can also contribute to reducing emissions in the agriculture sector. The forest sector is also highlighted as a contribute to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural systems since (i) the expansion of wood end-uses can contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the Canadian forest sector by diversifying market opportunities and helping to maintain or create jobs; and due to (ii) the co-benefits of using bio-fuels that include diversification of market opportunities. The entire document focuses on the way to increasing the resilience of livelihoods to disasters through interventions to tackle climate change. The goal is an emissions abatement pathway consistent with net emissions falling by 80% in 2050 from 2005 levels. The Strategy follows a twin-track approach, considering how a global clean growth economy offers considerable economic opportunities and co-benefits, mostly in the environmental and health fields, such as (i) growing Canada’s clean technology sector (i.e. discover and adopt new and innovative ways to enhance the quality of life, designing low-carbon buildings can save on energy requirements and heating, cooling, and electricity costs, while increasing natural light and airflow, reducing traffic congestion through more sustainable movement of people and goods, as well as air and noise pollution, save travel time, and lead to healthier and more productive cities; (ii) electrification is often accompanied by efficiency gains, especially in the transportation sector, the declining costs of renewable electricity such as wind and solar energy, monetary savings for residential consumers and businesses through lower electricity bills, as well as other benefits such as reduced maintenance and improved durability; (iii) advantage of potential mutual benefits from a greater integration of the electricity network and trade between the U.S. and Canada; (iv) the sustainable practices in agriculture shall reduce the cost of production (as less fertilizer is used), saving on the use of fossil fuels needed to produce fertilizers, and reducing the pollution resulting from nitrates, ammonia, and other nitrogen substances released in the environment; (v) investments in afforestation could lead to co-benefits such as the diversification of rural economies, reduced forest fragmentation and enhanced forest habitat for wildlife, improved soil quality and watershed protection; (vi) co-benefits of waste prevention, diversion, and landfill gas capture include greater food security, increased supply of renewable natural gas and electricity, creation of a soil amendment (i.e., compost), and a reduction in volatile organic compounds emissions, smog formation and unpleasant odors.
加拿大 · 2016-01-01